Layton's Mystery Journey - From Secretive Pasts, to Uncertain Presents
by Charlie Big Nose
Summary: Professor Layton has been missing for many years, but now, as everyone else has given up all hope of finding him, Katrielle has found a potential lead amongst his possessions. But her next move is crucial - for not only does it impact her life, but those of everyone she knows and loves...
1. Prologue - No Way Back

Prologue - No Way Back

"I really am sorry, Miss Perfetti. I have tried everything I can think of... "

"Try harder," Emiliana snarled, her hands clenching into fists.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

Emiliana frowned deeply and turned to her accomplice. "What say you, Katrielle?"

Kat looked deep in thought. "What I fail to understand is why you told me that you could get me here and get me back if you knew you couldn't?"

"I don't know."

"What have you got against me? What have you got against my father?"

"Your father?"

"Professor Hershel Layton."

He frowned. "But what has he got to do with this?"

Kat and Emiliana looked at each other.

"Everything."


	2. Chapter One - The Search Continues

Chapter One - The Search Continues

Several weeks previously, however, at that precise moment, the only sound that graced Katrielle's eardrums was the sound of her father's old grandfather clock as she sat in his study. She had always thought it odd that, in the midst of a bustling, noisy city like London, it was always so quiet in her father's house. So quiet and full of odd books and trinkets, unlike any other house Katrielle had ever been in. The old professor's study, however, was very much like her own office at the Layton Detective Agency - an utter pigsty, no matter how hard Ernest tried to keep on top of the chores.

Ernest. Though he rather liked to accompany her on her investigations, the search for her missing father was always something she preferred to do alone. She wasn't sure whether it was because Ernest wasn't family or because he didn't know the professor that well, but Katrielle never felt comfortable with the idea of him getting involved, asking so many questions, questions which were still too painful for her to answer. About her biological parents, her origins, whether it could bear any relevance to his whereabouts. Katrielle couldn't see why it would; after all, she had looked into this already; they were dead and, as far as she could see, they weren't worth knowing if they put their drug habits before their only child.

That thought brought Kat back to why she was sitting in her father's study in the first place. She had, as she had done many times before, run out of ideas in her investigation so, as she always did in times like these, she was rifling through her father's possessions, searching for any clue of his whereabouts that he may or may not have left for her. She had already gone through most of his possessions, and was now looking through photographs. It wasn't that he didn't have many, but it appeared that most of them were taken around the same time, judging by how old her Uncle Luke was at the time. It also appeared that they were all taken by the same person, but Kat had already pursued this line of her investigation and it had been largely fruitless; either Emmy Altava was dead or she really didn't want to be found, and judging by the stories Flora had told her about Emmy, either was likely.

It was when she had finished looking through the album and was about to close it she noticed something she hadn't before. A tiny corner of a photograph sticking out from behind a picture of her and Alfendi as children. Kat carefully tugged it out and examined it.

It was of her father as a young man, probably in his twenties, with a woman who had her arm around him. She was quite pretty, Kat thought, with glasses and red hair, donning a lab coat. "She's a scientist..." Kat thought. Then she stopped. "This must be Claire." Flora had told her all about Claire, her father's first and only love. Kat remembered it well...

"I think it broke his heart when she died," Flora had told her, "and he grieved a lot when he lost her the second time... he was so quiet..."

So why hide her photograph? Kat frowned, squinting at the photograph. She could make out another someone in the background, someone she recognized. He was watching the professor and Claire, and he was glaring at the young couple.

"Dad knew him," Kat thought suddenly, "I know his face..." she leaped up and crossed the room, grabbing her father's old book of newspaper cuttings. She flipped through it quickly and stopped as she landed on the right page, towards the back of the book; "Dimitri Allen Released After Twenty-Five Year Sentence." Kat looked at the date on the header of the cutting and her heart nearly stopped; it was a week before her father's disappearance.


	3. Chapter Two - Enquiries

Chapter Two - Enquiries

Emiliana sighed heavily as she strolled quickly through the main door of Scotland Yard. The easy part of her job - gathering evidence - was now complete, but now came the tedious part of processing the information, creating an accurate criminal profile and, indisputably Emiliana's least favorite task, the paperwork. But as she began to make a beeline for her office, someone interrupted her.

"What is it PC Beate?"

"There's been a phone call for you while you were out, and Katrielle Layton is waiting for you in your office."

Emiliana frowned. "Who was the phone call from?"

"Er... your mother, Miss Perfetti. She wants you to call her back when you're free, ma'am."

"Oh... Thank you." Her brow furrowed slightly. "Did Katrielle say what she wanted?"

"No, ma'am. Just that she wanted to see you as soon as you got back."

"Oh... va bene. I will go there. Thanks." Emiliana nodded unsmilingly to the police constable as she set off again.

* * *

Kat, meanwhile, was sitting before Emiliana's desk, peering curiously at a framed photograph in her hand. It was what she assumed to be a family photograph, depicting several young boys, an older-looking man with a black goatee and very little hair standing in the center beside what looked like his wife, who looked strikingly like Emiliana except without the glasses and with dark brown eyes instead of grey. Kat assumed that the little girl standing beside her was Emiliana herself. She looked no older than ten years old and was actually smiling widely, her arms wrapped around her mother, who returned the embrace. Kat smiled. "Now that is a side to her that she will never let anyone see..." She put it back on the tidy desk just as she heard footsteps coming down the corridor in her direction.

The Perfect Storm herself entered the room, shutting the door behind her with a snap.

"What is it that you want, Katrielle?" she asked almost warily.

"I'm very well, Emiliana, and how are you?" Kat said brightly.

Emiliana rolled her eyes. "Whatever it is, can you please just come out with it, because I have rather a lot of work to do."

"Right, well... it's a personal matter, so..."

Emiliana crossed the room and sat at her desk, facing Kat.

"It's about my dad. You probably already know that he's missing-"

"Yes, I do," Emiliana replied. "So you want my help?"

Kat ignored the subtle smugness in her voice. "Yes, actually. I was wondering if you had access to the files in the archives."

"It depends on which section the file is stored in," Emiliana replied. "And about whom the file is about."

"I see..."

"Why not ask Inspector Hastings for help? He probably has a higher level of clearance than I do."

"Well... I just thought that you would give me a... well... a better opinion on whether my theory is correct."

Emiliana raised her eyebrows. "Is that right?"

Kat nodded. "Obviously, my theory is a long shot, even by my standards..."

"Well, I think I will reserve judgement until I actually hear it." Emiliana sat forward a little.

"... Alright. Have you ever heard of a scientist called Dimitri Allen?"

Emiliana frowned. "I'm not really sure..."

"He was a poly dimensional researcher-"

"What is that?" Emiliana asked.

"He tried to invent a time machine."

"Really?" Emiliana looked interested.

"And he nearly destroyed half of London in the process."

"Oh."

"He was released from prison about five years ago. Exactly one week before my father disappeared."

"And your father knew him, did he?" Emiliana asked.

"Yes. Er... they were in love with the same woman, apparently."

Emiliana raised her eyebrows again. "So we have a motive for kidnap?"

"Maybe..."

"Maybe?" Emiliana asked.

"Well, he tried to invent a time machine. What if he succeeded?"

Emiliana frowned. "You think your father is being held captive in another time, Katrielle?"

"Perhaps..."

"Or maybe you think he went willingly?"

"That's also possible..."

"What are you thinking, Katrielle?" Emiliana asked.

"What do you mean?" Kat replied.

"I know that look on your face, Katrielle. That look in your eyes. Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm not sure but..." Kat hesitated. "...a lot of things happened at the same time."

"To your father?" Emiliana asked.

Kat nodded. "Dad retired the week before he disappeared."

"Perhaps he had enough of working and he felt he deserved a rest?" Emiliana suggested.

"He encouraged my sister Flora to travel abroad with my uncle, Luke," Kat added.

"That doesn't tell us anything," Emiliana said dismissively.

"And he told my brother Alfendi and me that we were adopted, that he isn't our real dad," Kat finished. "He told us that the day before he disappeared."

Emiliana said nothing.

""If you're not really my child, then who exactly are you?" I don't know... it just feels like he wanted to distance himself from us, to sever ties with his family. But why?"

"I'm not sure Katrielle." Emiliana looked uncomfortable.

"It worked as a distraction, at any rate. I was so immersed in the search for my real parents, and Alfendi was so bloody angry about the whole thing that neither of us spoke to Dad for a few days. I stayed at Alfendi's flat at the time, I just needed some space. But when I went to see him a few days later, he was gone. He'd been gone a few days, that much I know..."

"But why does that mean that he travelled through time?" Emiliana asked skeptically.

"Alfendi had all of London searched and everyone questioned, and there was no sign of him anywhere," Kat replied. "We looked through CCTV footage from all railway stations, bus stops, airports and taxi ranks, but still no sign of him. We checked the cameras outside his house and traced the registration numbers of all the cars that were in his vicinity at the time, and we traced every last one of them back to London. It appears as though he just left the house and never came back..."

"You think he went to see Allen?" Emiliana asked dubiously.

"Yes, I believe so," Kat replied.

"And you also believe that Dimitri Allen had the resources and capabilities to build a fully functional time machine in the space of one week?"

"No," Kat replied. "I think he had help on that."

"Who?" Emiliana asked.

"Bill Hawkes."

Emiliana looked at her incredulously. "Wasn't he a prime minister?"

"Yes. He started out as a scientist, working in the same lab as Dimitri. When their time machine prototype failed and exploded, he sold on the technology behind the machines power source for some serious money on the backs of everyone who died in said explosion. Behind Dimitri's back."

"That's how he got to power?" Emiliana asked.

"Yes," Kat replied. "Unfortunately for him, it was when the public found out about this that they demanded his resignation. His fall from grace was a hard, fast one."

"You think he helped Allen to build a time machine?"

"He lost a lot that day. I think he wanted to go back and change a few things, relive the old dream. I think he needed Dimitri to help him, so he got him to issue him instructions, with the promise of release if the machine was successful."

"The promise of release?"

"According to the newspaper article published on the day of his release, he was supposed to serve a forty year sentence," Kat explained. "I think sometime while he was brooding over what could have been in prison, he got a visitor - Mr. Hawkes - who made him an offer he couldn't refuse, in exchange for freedom. Hawkes may not have had any more political power, but he was still rich from that sale. He could easily hire a top barrister and bribe any jury into freeing anyone from prison."

"But what has any of this got to do with your father?" Emiliana asked.

"He was the one who exposed Hawkes for what he really was. I dare say he wanted Dad out of the way, and what better way to do it than holding him captive in the one place no one can ever go?"

"I don't know Katrielle," Emiliana said, giving her an odd look.

"Have I been wrong yet?" Kat asked.

"Of all the theories you've ever had, this one takes the cake, Katrielle."

Kat smiled. "But you don't deny that it's plausible?"

Emiliana scowled as Kat laughed.

"Why should I help you?"

"Well, because... Well..."

Emiliana raised her eyebrows.

"What is it you always say... "Hard evidence is the quickest way to solving any case." But the only way I can get said hard evidence is if you let me see that file. So..."

Kat trailed off as she saw the corner of Emiliana's mouth quirk a little.

"All I need you to do is let me look at his file with his prison record in it. That should mention who visited him, what his behavior was like, along with the terms of his release. And it probably has his address in it as well, and that's a start."

"...Alright," Emiliana said hesitantly. "I just need to make a quick phone call and I'll be right with you."

"I'll wait outside," Kat obliged.

Once Kat had left the room, Emiliana quickly dialed a number on her desk phone and waited while it rang, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor.

"Zero Perfetti qui, lascia un messagio."

Emiliana sighed. "Sorry Mamma, I will have to call back later." She hung up.


	4. Chapter Three - Allying with Allen

Chapter Three - Allying with Allen

"Here we are; Dimitri Sergei Allen."

Emiliana handed the relatively small folder over to Kat and peered over her shoulder as she read it. After going through box after box of old case files and records of imprisonment, Emiliana felt she at least had the right to know what it said. The case file didn't yield any new information, so Kat set it aside and turned her attention to the prison record. It stated that his behavior was good, acceptable, and he worked hard at his job in the kitchen. Kat smiled as she saw the visitor's record.

"Looks like I was right about Bill Hawkes, Emiliana."

"Was he his only visitor," Emiliana asked, frowning at the record.

"Looks like it. And see here; "Terms of release..."

"So Hawkes paid Allen's bail money," Emiliana said.

"A lot of money," Kat nodded.

"But I don't understand, Katrielle," Emiliana said, frowning. "If the machine was a success, why has nothing changed? If what you say about Hawkes is true, then he obviously never got to change anything in the past."

"I've been wondering that myself," Kat admitted. "One of several questions I will have to put to Dimitri Allen when I see him." She handed the file back to Emiliana and smiled. "Thank you for your help. I'd better be getting along now."

Emiliana looked slightly taken aback. "You're going to see him now?"

"No time like the present, Emiliana."

"I'll go with you."

Kat gave her a funny look. "Why?"

"I want to see where this goes."

Kat laughed. "Piqued your interest, have I?"

"No! I mean, it would be dangerous if you went alone, I mean, what if they made you disappear too?"

"So you're concerned about my safety?" Kat smiled. "That's sweet."

"What? Well, what I meant is that I have given you the evidence you need for this lead, so I wish to see it used to it's fullest potential. Is what I meant to say." She cleared her throat.

"Let's get going," Kat suggested, eyebrows raised.

* * *

"I don't think there's anyone home, Katrielle."

Kat knocked for the fourth time. "There are lights on in there, Emiliana. There has to be someone here."

"The presence of a flickering light does not necessarily mean the presence of a person," Emiliana pointed out.

The door opened suddenly, making them both jump a little.

"Doesn't it?" Kat murmured, earning a dirty look.

"Can I help you?" asked the aging man in white who just opened the door.

"Are you Dimitri Allen?" Kat asked.

The man nodded his white hatted head, causing his long grey hair to cover his eyes slightly.

"My name is Katrielle Layton." Kat stopped as the man smiled.

"I did wonder when you or your brother would arrive on my doorstep."

"Oh, were you expecting us?" Kat asked.

"I was expecting you, but not your Scotland Yard friend."

Emiliana frowned as Dimitri studied her closely. "You look familiar, girl, very familiar indeed."

"How do you know me?"

"I've seen you in the papers with Miss Layton here. Perfetti, isn't it? Perfect Perfetti."

"No one really calls me that," Emiliana retorted, looking slightly irritated.

Kat smiled. "You'd be surprised, Emiliana. Anyway, you obviously know that my father is missing..."

"I do."

"Would you mind if we came in and asked you some questions?"

Dimitri nodded, stepping aside. Kat and Emiliana looked at one another before they entered.

"Can I get either of you a cup of tea?" Dimitri asked as they sat down on his settee.

"Er..."

"No," Emiliana said firmly.

Dimitri stared at her again. Then, shaking his head slightly, he sat down opposite them.

"What is it that you need to know?"

"Why were you expecting me?" Kat asked.

Dimitri smiled. "I figured that you would know about Claire."

"I do."

"And the time machine?"

"And Bill Hawkes' fall from grace," Kat added.

Dimitri smiled and nodded. "So you've done your homework, Miss Layton."

"Bill visited you in prison."

"That he did," Dimitri said, still smiling.

"You told him how to build the machine, didn't you?"

Dimitri nodded. "The day I was arrested, I vowed that I would close the book on the time machine forever. But little did I know that mere hours before that, my group of scientists stumbled upon the very secret of time travel itself."

"That's the information you gave to Hawkes in return for your release?" Emiliana asked.

Dimitri nodded again. "I told Bill everything I knew, and about six months later, I was in front of the parole board, who he bribed of course, petitioning for release."

"And then you went to see my father," Kat said.

"No, actually. Your father came to see me. He knew that I had been released early for a reason."

"What happened?"

"Bill arrived just as I had told him what was going on. You see, the machine was in this house, and Bill wanted to test it."

"So he used my father?"

Emiliana's eyes widened.

"In the end, yes. He came in just as I was showing your father the machine. I hoped that he and I would be able to overpower Bill and put an end to his plans, and I would have both freedom and revenge at Bill's expense. It didn't work out that way."

"What happened?" Emiliana asked.

"Bill and I fought. Layton tried to stop us, but Bill accidentally fired off the machine. It sent us hurtling back about thirty odd years. When we landed, Bill grabbed me and brought me back to our own time. Layton had been knocked unconscious, don't ask me how."

"Dad..."

"Bill left him behind. I don't know what happened to him."

Emiliana shook her head. "Evil man..."

"Where is the machine now?"

"At Bill's. He couldn't get it to work after that. I offered to fix it in exchange for bringing Layton back, but he refused. He said he'd do it himself. I'd say he's still trying to this day, but no joy."

"You can fix it?"

"I believe I know what the problem is, yes."

"Can you get me back to where he left Dad?"

"It's rather a long and complicated procedure, I'm afraid we'll have no chance of fixing it without getting caught by Bill..."

"Unless we can distract him? Keep him out of the house for a few hours?"

"How?"

"Perhaps..." Emiliana began.

"What?"

"If something were to... happen to him..."

"Like what?" Dimitri asked with a smile.

Kat looked at her with a frown. "You're not going to kill him, are you?"

"Why on earth would you think that?" Emiliana snapped.

"It's always the quiet ones."

Dimitri laughed as Emiliana glared at Kat.

"I think she has the right idea. I actually know of a lot of people who'd love to give him a good kicking."

"I didn't mean violence! I just meant... I don't know, if he was pickpocketed or something..."

"Of course, he'd be stuck down the police station for hours giving a blow by blow account of how he was nearly killed..."

"I think I know who could do that for us..." Kat nodded.


	5. Chapter Four - Double Cross

Chapter Four - Double-cross

"You want him to do what?"

"You've gone deaf? I didn't think you were an old dog, Sherl."

Kat smiled as the Bassett Hound gave her a dirty look.

"Er..." Ernest looked very uncomfortable. "It's not that I don't want to help, Miss Layton, but... I'm not sure if I can."

"Of course you can," Kat said bracingly. "You won't be alone either. Sherl will help you."

"WHAT?!" Sherl protested loudly. "I'll do no such thing! What do you expect me to do, bite his leg off? I'm a Bassett Hound, not a wolf!"

"You don't necessarily have to attack him," Kat said patiently.

"So you want Sherl to sniff at his—"

"NO!"

"—while I take off with his wallet?"

"Something along those lines," Kat said cheerfully while Sherl pretended to vomit in his basket. "And try to steal his house keys too, if you can. Not that we'll need them if Emiliana can pick locks as well as she says she can, but if it delays him getting into the house, then it'll give Dimitri more time to tinker with the machine."

"All this sounds dodgy to me, Kat," Sherl said. "I mean, what if this Dimitri guy has you two barking up the wrong tree? All that ruff about a time machine sounds like some shaggy dog story to me."

"I still have to try, Sherl," Kat replied. "This is the only lead I've had for two years now. And it really does seem like the only plausible explanation for where he's disappeared to."

"But if it is true, and he is stuck there," Ernest said anxiously, "What if you get stuck too, Miss Layton?"

"It won't come to that," Kat replied. "The machine travels with the occupier to whatever destination they go to. No one else in that time frame knows about the machine's existence. The plan is fail safe. Once I get there, all I have to do is track him down."

Ernest and Sherl shared a worried glance.

"I'll be fine," Kat assured them. "All you need to do is trust me. And steal Bill Hawkes' wallet."

* * *

"I'm almost there."

"C'mon, Emiliana," Kat said encouraging as she watched the profiler wrestle with the lock on Hawkes' front door.

"OI!" They headed a shout coming from nearby. "What you lot up to?!"

Kat looked around and saw an old woman leaning over her garden fence, watching them with scrutiny.

"Getting revenge!" Kat yelled back.

"Be quiet, will you?" Emiliana snapped. "Do you want us to get caught?"

"Oh." The woman smiled. "I see. Work away! I didn't see nothing!"

Kat grinned and waved as the woman disappeared from view. "Thank you!"

"Never hurts to make new friends," Dimitri said, looking amused.

Emiliana stood up straight looking pleased with herself as the door swung open.

"No need to thank me," she said as Kat opened her mouth to speak. "You're already welcome."

"Actually, I was about to suggest that you put that pin back in your hair, it's sticking up a bit at the back," Kat smiled as Emiliana looked furious. "But thank you is good too. Shall we?" And she lead the way into the house.

"That mouth of hers is one thing she did not inherit from her father," Dimitri noted heartily as he followed a rather put-out-looking Emiliana through the cramped house full of science equipment into the back room.

Sure enough, there sat one of the most complicated-looking machines Kat had ever set eyes on, a huge mass of cogs, wires and rotary arms that spun overhead. The trio stared at it each with a different expression; Emiliana's of curiosity, wonder; Dimitri's of excitement, as though mentally preparing himself for a fun challenge; Katrielle's of anticipation and (if one looked very closely) fear.

Kat turned to Dimitri. "So, what do we do now?"

* * *

"So, what do we do now?"

After an hour and a half of visiting all of Bill Hawkes' old haunts, as named by Dimitri, the young man and man's best friend finally found the elderly ex-prime minister in an old bar, sat at a large table playing poker with several other men his age and, by the looks of them, wealth status.

Ernest averted his gaze from the man inside the window of the bar and turned his attention to his canine companion.

"I really don't know, Sherl," he confessed. "Don't get me wrong, I am very fond of Miss Layton..."

"Like how I'm fond of a long snooze on a sunny afternoon," Sherl sighed.

"... but what does she expect me to do? I know he's probably the most hated prime minister..."

"Ever," Sherl added.

"... but I can't hurt an old man!"

"I see your point, Pinstripes," Sherl nodded. "What we need is a plan B."

"Do you have any ideas, Sherl?" Ernest asked, keen not to disappoint his muse.

"What's that card game they're playing?"

"Poker, by the looks of it."

"You any good at poker, Pinstripes?"

"I used to play with Mama..."

"There we go!"

"But I haven't any money on me."

Sherl frowned, his furry forehead screwed up. "But Kat gave you money earlier on!"

"No, Sherl, that is the rent money for the agency premises..."

"I'm sure she won't mind if it means getting her father back, you know," Sherl pointed out.

"Yes, but gambling is illegal!"

Sherl sighed and waved a paw over to the window they were spying through mere moments before. "Do you think they care? I'm sure the cost of the months rent will cover a couple hours poker with the old dogs and let Kat do whatever she needs to do!"

"Alright!" Ernest gave in, looking very flustered. "But if I lose it all, then it was your idea, Sherl."

"And if you win it all, it was still my idea, got it?" Sherl barked as Ernest pushed the door open and strolled inside.

* * *

"It's still not working."

"Well deduced, Sherlock."

"We've been at it for hours now,"Emiliana snapped. "I thought you knew what you were doing?"

"I haven't seen the machine for years, and Hawkes has done a lot of messing around with it," Dimitri retorted. "There are a lot of things that need fixing, but we're most of the way there, I promise."

"How long is it going to take?" Emiliana asked impatiently. "Hawkes could come back at any time, and my superiors at the Yard would not react very well to me being caught breaking and entering an ex-politician's house..."

"I told you, Ernest has it covered," Kat reassured her, turning away from the drawing-room window to face her.

"And what exactly is Ernest doing to keep him away?" Emiliana asked cynically. "Nothing illegal, I hope?"

"Ernest has enough sense not to do anything illegal, or take stupid risks," Kat replied confidently.

"You had better hope so."

Kat suddenly looked thoughtful. "What would happen to you if you got caught?"

Emiliana scowled. "I'd rather not think about it."

"Would Inspector Hastings be angry with you?"

"It's not Hastings I worry about," Emiliana replied, before realizing what she had just said. She blinked heavily and cleared her throat.

"So you have a big scary boss worse than Hastings?" Kat smiled.

"No!"

"Hmm... I think you're lying," Kat deduced, pacing the length of the room.

"I would appreciate it if you stopped psychoanalyzing me and got back to your lookout post."

Kat grinned as she returned to her window and stared down the empty driveway. "I bet your scary boss is a woman. Women bosses are scarier than male ones, they have been in my experience." She turned and smiled at Emiliana's pink face.

"Oh, your experience of what, three years?" she replied.

"So I'm right?" she said happily.

Emiliana opened her mouth to retort angrily, but instead jumped a little as the machine powered up behind her.

"Miracles do happen!" Dimitri exclaimed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Right, time to power up and get your father home!"

He began to fiddle with the control panel as Kat and Emiliana approached cautiously with interest.

"Here we go," Dimitri said. "Prepare yourselves," he added. He pulled a lever and pushed another button.

It felt as though they were being squeezed through a hole that was much too small for them. As if that wasn't uncomfortable enough to begin with, the longer they endured it, the worst the sensation got. They felt more and more compressed, tighter and tighter, closer and closer, until the three of them were jammed against the machine, Kat and Emiliana squashed awkwardly together, and when it got the point where none of them could breathe, it suddenly stopped. They all collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, Emiliana landing painfully on top of Kat. Once she had caught her breath, she quickly rolled off of Kat and onto the floor.

"You okay?" she just about managed and Kat nodded weakly.

Suddenly, Kat felt someone grab her upper arm and haul her to her feet.

"We need to get out of here," Dimitri gasped. "Hawkes..."

"Right," Kat nodded as Dimitri helped Emiliana up.

"This way," Dimitri pointed to the drawing-room door.

"Okay."

But as she two ladies left the room, the door snapped shut after them.

"What?" Emiliana exclaimed as they heard the lock slot shut and a loud rumbling noise coming from behind the door.

"No!" Kat cried as silence fell behind the door once more.


	6. Chapter Five - Trapped

Chapter Five - Trapped

"No!"

"What is the meaning of this?!" Emiliana demanded angrily, turning to face Kat.

"He's taken the machine! He's gone back to our time! We're stuck here!"

"So he tricked us?" Emiliana looked livid.

"Yes, he did." Kat was a little apprehensive now - she had never seen Emiliana so angry before.

Emiliana took a few deep breaths.

"So what now?" Kat asked.

"What do you mean?"

"How do we get back?"

Emiliana frowned at her. "Aren't you jumping the gun a little?"

"What do you mean?"

"We came here to find your father, Katrielle. Shouldn't we at least try, while we're here?"

"I suppose..."

"Why not?"

"I just thought that, as he just abandoned us here, should we really take him for his word?"

"Katrielle. We are stuck here. Until we can find another working machine to get us back, we have to stay here. Don't tell me now that you think we got trapped here for nothing."

Kat nodded silently.

"So where do we start?"

"Well... Mr. Allen said that the machine was in his house when they ditched my dad... maybe we should start there?"

Emiliana nodded. "We should go straight there."

Kat stared after her as she marched swiftly to the front door. Guilt slowly started to fill her mind. If she really was trapped here, Emiliana would have lost everything to one of her hunches. At least if she found her father, she would still have someone to call family, someone to start a new life with, yet Emiliana was stranded three decades away from home, away from her family, away from her mother, who she clung to so dearly in the photograph Kat had seen on her desk. Kat and Emiliana were not friends, Kat knew that. Emiliana had even struggled to call Kat an acquaintance, which led Kat to wonder why on earth she had insisted on accompanying her in the first place.

"Katrielle, are you coming?!"

* * *

"The place looks derelict."

"He's been in prison for about two years now," Kat replied. Having acquired a newspaper on their way over, Kat and Emiliana had discovered that they were almost twenty-eight years in the past. Kat had already passed several people she knew already - Stachenscarfen, the man in the bunny costume, Benni, who sold popoños, although he was a boy in his mid-to-late teens at this time, a young red-headed lady carrying a mass of lace dresses down the street, who Kat recognised as a young Clover Pryce. The fact that they really were in the past really hit her when she saw Ms. Pryce hurry past them.

"So what now?" Emiliana asked. "Should we go in?"

"Definitely," Kat replied. "Mr. Allen said that Dad was unconscious when he left him. We need to check if he's there."

"Right," Emiliana said, and began to examine the door.

"Are you going to pick the lock again?"

"No need," Emiliana frowned. "It's open already."

She opened the door.

"Maybe your father already left?" she asked as they entered.

"Maybe," Kat replied. "I still want to check, though."

But a clean sweep of the entire house yielded no results.

"Okay," Emiliana said determinedly as they took a breather in Dimitri's sitting room. "He's not here. Either he never was, or he just isn't anymore."

"Your profiling skills precede you," Kat nodded.

Emiliana scowled. "We should talk to the neighbors and try to determine if he is here."

"Right," Kat said. "I have a photograph." She got up and made for the door, pulling it out of her bag. "Let's go."

"Wait, Katrielle..."

"What is it, Emiliana?" Kat asked, stopping in her tracks.

"This photograph..."

"Is it of Dad?" Kat asked.

Emiliana paused, studying the photograph. "I'm not sure, but this looks like a year photo, a university one. Mr. Allen was in the same year as my father, he's here, look..."

"Your father?" Kat approached her and peered at the picture over her shoulder. Kat suppressed a gasp as Emiliana pointed out her father.

"He's your father?"

"Yes," Emiliana said, frowning. "Why do you sound so shocked?"

"My dad knew him... Er..."

"I'm guessing they got along about as well as we do?" Emiliana asked, a slight smirk on her face.

"At least you never tried to flatten me with a Ferris wheel," Kat muttered to herself.

"What?!"

"Well, we'd better get going," Kat smiled, walking rather quickly out the door.

"Huh? Katrielle wait! What Ferris wheel?

* * *

"Excuse me, I'm looking for my dad, here's his picture, have you seen him?"

"No, sorry dear..."

"... and he wears a top hat..."

"Like Professor Hershel Layton of Gressenheller?"

"Ah... yes, like that..."

"I haven't seen anyone of that description around these parts, I'm afraid..."

As the search wore on, hours seemed to pass like days, and as night fell, their search area grew wider as their energy grew less. Eventually, Kat sighed and sat heavily onto a bench outside a local park, exhausted.

Emiliana sat beside her, wringing her hands. "I think we ought to turn in for the night, Katrielle."

"Mmm."

"We can try again in the morning," Emiliana said, starting to get up again.

"He's not here."

"How do you know?"

"Someone would have seen him," Kat said, staring into the distance.

"That means nothing," Emiliana replied, sitting down beside her again. "In this time, your father has a very high profile. He probably did his best to try and evade detection of his other younger self, as well as any family and friends he had in London at this time."

"He has a high profile," Kat agreed, "But there isn't a single street in London that isn't occupied. We must have asked hundreds of people already, yet there's still no sign of him. If he were here, someone is sure to have seen something."

Emiliana could've sworn she heard her choke up a little. "I believe he is here, Katrielle," she said. "Why else would Mr. Allen's front door have been left unlocked?"

"There could be any number of reasons why it could have been left open," Kat pointed out.

"There could be any number of reasons why none of the people we asked didn't see your father," Emiliana replied gently. "One of them being that we haven't asked the right person yet."

Kat nodded silently.

"I think we should stay at Mr. Allen's flat for now. We'll turn in for the night and try again fresh tomorrow."

Kat sighed.

"You're tired. And you're disappointed. I know you half expected to find him at Mr. Allen's. So did I, but..."

"It's never that simple," Kat finished, blinking back a tear. Nothing ever was in this particular investigation. She sighed again, blinking back another tear, then stopped. When had Emiliana started holding her hand?"

Kat looked at their hands together, then at Emiliana. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Why did you agree to help me?" Kat asked her.

"Because you asked me to," she replied.

"But..." Kat was confused.

"If I ever came to you for a favor, would you help me?"

"Of course I would."

"There you go." Emiliana squeezed her hand. "I know you're disappointed. But I also know that you will stop at nothing to find your father, because you can succeed at anything you put your mind to. Keep trying, okay?"

But Kat was still frowning.

"What is wrong, Katrielle?"

"Do you like me, Emiliana?"

Emiliana stared into space for a moment. "... Do you like me?" Emiliana asked a little apprehensively.

"Yes. Do you like me?"

"I suppose so."

"So we're friends now?"

"Er..."

"Oh, come on, Emiliana," Kat smiled, squeezing her hand. "I like you. You like me. We're friends! Done."

Emiliana smiled. "I suppose we are."

"And that's why you agreed to help me in the first place."

"Excuse me? What gave you that impression?"

"Well, helping a friend in need is a better excuse for getting yourself trapped twenty-eight years in the past than seeing the evidence you provided me with for my lead used to its fullest potential." Kat smiled as Emiliana laughed a little.

"Allora. Friends it is."

Kat smiled. "Do you think we should hug it out?"

"Don't push it."


	7. Chapter Six - Food for Thought

Chapter Six - Food for Thought

 _"He's here! I've found him!"_

 _Kat ran over to her father's form, laying on the floor. She fell to her knees beside him and turned him over._

 _"Katrielle!" she heard Emiliana say distantly._

 _"Dad!" Kat shook him hard. "Please wake up! Please!"_

 _"Katrielle, come on!"_

 _"He's... he's dead..."_

"Katrielle wake up!"

Kat woke with a start and jumped at the sight of Emiliana standing at the foot of the bed.

"Breakfast is ready." She frowned. "What is the matter with you?"

"Oh... nothing. Bad dream." Kat rubbed her eyes. "What's for breakfast?"

Emiliana rolled her eyes. "Cold tinned beans."

"Oh."

"We have no electricity or money. It's the best I can do."

"I know. Thank you."

"If we are stuck here, we need to find a way to get money. Neither of us can work as, in this time, we haven't even been born yet..." Emiliana frowned worriedly.

"Let's just get through breakfast first," Kat said bracingly, picking up her dress from the end of the bed.

Kat frowned too as Emiliana left the room. She had highlighted yet another problem; what would they do for money? Kat sighed agitatedly as she pulled her dress on over her head.

* * *

"So where to now?" Emiliana asked, wincing as she heard Kat's stomach growl.

Kat had a pained expression on her face. "My coat has a designer label. I'll sell it and buy some food. Real food..."

Emiliana rolled her eyes. "The world doesn't revolve around your stomach, Katrielle.

"Well, what do you suggest?"

"Maybe we could get jobs in a place that will pay us cash in hand, off the books."

"Where?" Kat asked.

"I'm not sure, but we should keep an eye out while we're searching for your father."

"Okay," Kat said as they got up and began to make their way out.

"Do you have any money on you?" Kat asked as they walked down central London.

"No. I use my bank card, but I have no account yet. Why?"

"I smell fish and chips..."

"Stop it, Katrielle..."

"What? I'm hungry..."

"I know, me too, but you don't have to keep talking about it..."

"Oh!" Kat pointed to a boutique across the road. "Look in the window! That coat is exactly like mine. If I can sell it for half the money..."

"But it's the middle of January! You will freeze, Katrielle..."

"But think about what we could do with the money! We can top up the electricity meter, buy food, supplies, a change of clothes each..."

"I suppose..."

"There's a girl over there looking at it. I'll ask her if she wants it, wait here..."

Kat returned a few moments later with a stack of notes in hand.

"We're rich!"

Emiliana smiled and shook her head. "You look cold..."

"But we need to eat." Kat took her hand. "Come on, lets start asking around again. We need to get something done before lunch..." She stopped suddenly.

"What is it Katrielle?" Emiliana asked.

"I recognize that woman over there." Kat pointed to a lady in the distance, who was walking towards them. "I tried to look for her before, to see if she knew where Dad went. They used to be good friends, you see..." Kat trailed off as she looked at Emiliana's shocked expression. "What's wrong, Emiliana?"

"That's my mother."

"WHAT?!"

"Shut up will you, she's staring at us now!" Emiliana hissed, pulling Kat in by the wall.

Kat looked at the woman again, then at Emiliana, then at the woman again.

"Will you stop doing that?!"

"I'm sorry... I just never noticed how alike you two look."

Emiliana smiled a little. "I certainly noticed similarities between you and Professor Layton, anyway."

The woman glanced at them again as she passed, and again before she turned a corner and went down an alleyway, out of sight.

"So you were named after your mother?" Kat asked.

"Huh?" Emiliana looked confused for a moment. "Oh... she doesn't use that name anymore... not in our time anyway..."

"That explains how she managed to drop off the face of the earth," Kat nodded. She smiled and shook her head. "This is unbelievable. Both of your parents are connected to my dad and I had no idea..."

"Who do you think inspired me to work with Scotland Yard?" Emiliana pointed out. "It certainly wasn't my father, anyway..."

Kat smirked. "This really does explain a lot, though. Like why you can be so intimidating. No one ever picked a fight with Emmy Altava and won, so my Uncle Luke told me. You definitely get that from her."

"Yes, well... we really do need to move on..." Emiliana said, trying not to look proud. "Where shall we begin today?"

"Gimme your money!"

Emiliana jumped as she felt something sharp being held against her side. She turned to her attacker, a young man with a black cap and hood. He stared at Kat.

"I know you have money. Give it to me, or your girlfriend gets it."

Emiliana grimaced as he pressed the blade harder against her.

"What money?" Kat said carefully, trying to buy herself time and keeping an eye out for a police officer. Perhaps if she were to scream loudly enough—

Then he was suddenly flung away from the pair and out into the road, oncoming traffic blasting their horns at him.

"Makes you feel tough, does it? Picking on two innocent girls?"

He spun on his heel and ran for it.

"That's right, you'd better run!" Emmy snarled.

Kat and Emiliana looked at each other worriedly, Emiliana growing paler by the second.

"Er... thank you for that," Kat said faintly.

"No problem," Emmy said, staring at Emiliana. "Are you alright? You look a bit pale... Did he get you?"

Emiliana's eyes widened as Emmy examined the wound on her side.

"It is just a scratch..."

"It's a bit more than that," Emmy said pointedly, holding her hand out to Kat, showing her the blood.

"Emiliana!"

"I'm fine!" She insisted, pulling away from Emmy, looking flustered.

"No you're not, you need to go to hospital..."

"No, definitely not..."

"Why?"

"Er..."

"She's an illegal immigrant," Kat suddenly piped up. "Er, she came here with me... it's a long story... but if she goes to hospital, she could end up in real trouble..."

Emmy frowned, studying Emiliana closely. "Come with me, then. My apartment isn't far from here, I'll get you patched up..."

"You don't have to..." Emiliana tried.

"Yes I do, look at the state of you," Emmy said fixedly, grabbing her upper arm as she began to sway slightly on the spot. "You'll only end up fainting, then someone will call an ambulance and you'll end up in hospital. Let me help." She began to steer her away from Kat and down the street. Kat quickly ran after them and took Emiliana's other hand.

Emmy pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket. "Hold that over the wound," she said, handing it to Kat.

She quickly complied, making Emiliana gasp in pain.

"We're nearly there," Emmy reassured her as they turned down an alleyway and climbed up some steps, entering a grubby-looking flat.

Inside, however, was spotless, a wooden staircase and two doors visible upon entry. Emmy pushed open the nearest door with her foot as she quickly steered the two girls inside. Here, she let go of Emiliana and began rooting through the cupboards for a first-aid kit.

"Take your shirt off and lay down on the table."

Kat peeled of the handkerchief, which was now soaked with blood, and looked at the wound briefly. It was deeper than she had thought.

Emiliana carefully removed her jacket, then her shirt and vest, and sat up on the table beside a tall pile of books.

Emmy emerged, first-aid kit in hand. She pushed the books off the table and gestured for Emiliana to lay on her front. As she did so, Kat quickly began to apply pressure to the wound again, as blood had begun to drip on the table.

Emmy took off her jumper and placed it under Emiliana's head. She then studied the wound, a large slash in Emiliana's side, towards the back. She quickly glanced over Emiliana's back to check for other injuries before checking her pulse.

"Just try and relax," Emmy said calmly. "Don't panic, just try and slow your heart rate. Okay?"

Emiliana nodded silently.

Emmy began to press hard on the area around Emiliana's armpit. After a moment, she told Kat to remove pressure carefully, and to Kat's relief, the blood flow began to cease. Emmy then told her to take her place while she washed the wound with a saline solution, causing Emiliana to gasp suddenly, and closed the wound with glue.

They worked in silence until Emmy spoke up.

"So where are you from?"

Emiliana hesitated.

"I know you're not an illegal immigrant. You, young lady, are a terrible liar." She nodded to Kat.

"Italy," Emiliana replied.

Emmy smiled. "I always wanted to go there. Their food is exquisite."

Kat's stomach growled suddenly, making Emmy laugh as she finished dressing the wound.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"I'm Katrielle," she replied. "Kat."

"I'm Emiliana," Emiliana replied as she sat upright.

"And you already know my name for some reason," Emmy mused as she rooted through a basket of clean laundry in the corner of the room. "Here." She threw a yellow hoodie and a pair of white jeans similar to the ones she was wearing over to Emiliana, who caught them, surprised. "You can't walk around in your bra, or your colleagues in Scotland Yard will arrest you."

Emiliana frowned.

"Yes, I caught you both staring at me, and yes, I caught bits and pieces of your conversation. Something about me, and Scotland Yard, and Professor Layton, correct?"

Kat and Emiliana looked at each other.

Emmy turned her back on them and washed her hands thoroughly at the sink. She then opened the fridge. "I'd better feed you both before I start grilling you with questions, or I won't be able to hear your explanations over Kat's stomach."

Kat smiled appreciatively. "Thank you."

"Head into the lounge next door, I'll be with you shortly."

Emiliana pulled on the hoodie carefully and the two of them left the room.

Emmy's mind was racing as she buttered several slices of bread. _Emiliana from Italy..._ was there an Italian girl in Targent? Emmy doubted it — all Targent members were trained in hand-to-hand combat and judging by what had just happened, neither of the two girls in her front room could fight their way out of warm butter. Emmy sighed as she cut the ham and cheese sandwiches into halves. She could tell that these girls were in trouble, and if they had something to do with the professor, then it was her duty to help them.

If this was the only way she could make up for her past mistakes, then she would do all she could to help.


	8. Chapter Seven - Explanations

Chapter Seven - Explanations

"So why wouldn't you go to hospital?" Emmy asked thickly through a mouthful of sandwich. "Now that we know you're not an illegal immigrant..."

"It's... complicated," Emiliana said carefully, nibbling the edge of her own sandwich. "Where did you learn to treat my wound?"

"It's complicated," Emmy said with a smile. "Come on. How am I supposed to help you both if you won't be honest with me?"

Kat and Emiliana looked at each other. Kat shrugged.

"Okay, this is how it is," Kat said, making Emmy sit up a little straighter. "We both have amnes-"

"Oh, come on!" Emmy said exasperatedly as Emiliana smirked. "Don't make me laugh! Amnesia my ass! Tell me the truth now, what's the worst that could happen?"

"We could be erased from existence," Kat said seriously.

"Really?" Emmy raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"That doesn't matter right now," Emiliana said quickly, nudging Kat hard. "The reason why we are here is because we are looking for someone."

"Professor Layton?" Emmy said.

Kat and Emiliana exchanged another glance.

"Yes," Kat said hesitantly.

"Easy! He's at Gressenheller."

"It's not as simple as that," Kat sighed.

"Why?"

"Because that's not the Professor Layton we're looking for," Emiliana explained. "It's..."

"Complicated?" Emmy offered.

Emiliana nodded. "Si."

"So there's another Professor Layton running around London and you two want to find him?"

"Yes," Kat replied.

"What does he look like?" Emmy asked.

"He wears a t-" Kat stopped.

"A top hat?" Emmy asked.

Emiliana nodded.

"And let me guess, he's quite partial to the color orange? And he drinks a lot of tea, and solves a lot of puzzles too, I'm guessing?"

Kat sighed.

"And he is a professor? A professor of what?"

"... arch-"

"Archaeology! There you go! And where does he work?"

"We're from the future," Emiliana said, causing Kat to stare at her incredulously. "What? We might as well tell her. I know her, she won't let it go until we tell her."

This apparently was not the answer Emmy was expecting.

"The future?!"

"Si. The future."

"And this professor you're looking for-"

"Si. He is also from the future."

"Are... are you his daughters or something?" Emmy asked.

"I am," Kat replied.

"What about you?" Emmy asked Emiliana.

"I am a friend of Katrielle's."

"Do I know your parents?"

"... Not yet," Emiliana said carefully.

"Oh. I see. It's just that you do look familiar..."

"Haha, yes..." Kat coughed and tried to hide her smile.

"Your eyes..." Emmy said, frowning. "I feel like I've seen them before... but we've never met, right?"

"... Not yet," Emiliana said slowly.

They stopped a moment as they heard the front door bang shut.

"Ah," Emmy said. "That'll be my flat mate, Vicky..."

The trio listened as they heard a rusty female voice in the kitchen.

"Why are my books all over the floor..."

"I'd better fill her in on our situation," Emmy said quickly, making to stand.

"Jesus Christ, is that blood?!"

"Vicky!" Emmy called.

A tanned girl with long dark hair and wide ebony eyes burst into the room. "Emmy, what the fu-"

"This is Kat," Emmy interrupted quickly, "and this is Emiliana, whose blood is all over our kitchen table."

"How-"

"She got stabbed by your ex boyfriend."

"You know that man?" Emiliana looked aghast.

"What?!" Vicky looked upset. "Have you called the police?"

"No. It would be too difficult to press charges, seeing as how neither of these two ladies has been born yet, technically."

Vicky stared, confused.

"You don't want to know," Emmy said brightly. "But I'll have to sleep in with you for a while because they're staying in my room."

"Oh, no, it's fine, we already have somewhere to stay," Emiliana said quickly.

"Where?"

"The man who built the machine that brought us here, he is in prison at this time, so we are staying in his house."

"No. No way. Not safe. Colin could follow you there and cut you up a lot worse than you are now, believe me, he has form for that sort of thing."

"She's right," Vicky said glumly as she sat on the arm of Emmy's armchair. "He's a drug addict," she explained. "He probably just wanted your wallet. He'd do anything for his next fix, including stalking innocent girls. Stay with us. He's attacked all of us before, so we should look out for each other. The more eyes out, the better."

"Yes, I think that is a good idea," Kat agreed.

"So long as you two don't mind sharing a bed," Emmy added. "I already have another friend sleeping on my sofa," she added as Emiliana opened her mouth. "Don't worry; it's a double bed. You'll have plenty of room."

Emiliana glanced nervously at Kat, who looked suitably awkward.

"Anyway, now that's sorted, we need to get back to your dad."

"Okay," Kat said, sitting up straighter.

"I need you to tell me everything, from the start..."

"Okay," Kat said, closing her eyes for a moment. "I presume you've heard of Bill Hawkes?"

Emmy scowled. "Who hasn't?"

"Well, he used to work with a man named Dimitri Allen-"

"I've heard of him too," Emmy added. "He's a scientist, right?"

"Yes. He and Hawkes used to work in the same lab, researching the possibility of time travel. Anyway, Allen discovered some vital information shortly before his arrest, and about twenty-five years from now, he's going to give it to Hawkes in exchange for getting out of jail. He applied for an appeal and Hawkes bribed the jury.

"A week after Allen walked free, my father went to see him in his home. Allen showed him the completed time machine, knowing that Hawkes was on his way, and he hoped that he and my father could overpower him so he could get revenge for their past feud. A struggle broke out, and my father tried to break it up, but Hawkes accidentally fired off the machine, sending him back to roughly this time. My father was knocked unconscious, and Hawkes grabbed Allen and went back to our time, leaving him stranded."

Emmy sat in silence as she took it all in.

"You say that he was sent back to "roughly this time"?" Vicky asked.

"Yes," Kat replied, "but when we went to Allen's house to check, the door was already unlocked and the house was empty."

"The door was already unlocked?" Emmy asked.

Kat nodded. "That's why we think he's here."

"But you don't know the exact date your father was sent back to," Emmy pointed out. "Sure, the unlocked door indicates that he is already here, but we don't know for how long. He could have been here for weeks, months, even years, and no one would notice, because all he would have to do is take off his top hat and he would be instantly unrecognizable..."

"So what do we do?" Kat asked. "We've already asked around, and no one appears to have seen him..."

"Is there anyone here he would have turned to for help?" Emmy asked. "Anyone who would be able to conceal him from his other self?"

Kat frowned, deep in thought.

"Wait..." Emiliana said slowly. "Doesn't he have a brother?"

Both Kat and Emmy turned to stare at her.

"How to you know that?" Kat asked her.

"My mother told me," she replied.

"Oh..."

Emmy frowned. "And I know your mother..."

Emiliana looked worried.

"I suppose you can't tell me any more than that?"

Emiliana shook her head.

"Alright..." Emmy frowned even more. "So you think he might have turned to Descole for help?"

"Si. It is the most logical solution, given his circumstances. I doubt he would want to put his family in such a compromising position, trying to conceal him for an indefinite amount of time."

"That and the fact that Descole has disappeared," Emmy added. "He himself is well hidden, but it's clear to me that the professor's safety is paramount to Descole. No doubt he has someone around London keeping tabs on him..."

"You mean Raymond?" Emiliana asked.

Emmy frowned again. "Yes..."

"So you think that my dad bumped into this Raymond, and he took him to Descole?" Kat asked. "And if he is watching Dad, that means he's likely hanging around London somewhere?"

"Exactly," Emmy smiled. "So we need to check your dad's old haunts, everywhere he goes, for the next few days, and we'll likely find him."

00000000

They decided to split up. Emmy and Vicky took the west side of London, near Scotland Yard, and Kat and Emiliana took the east side, near Gressenheller and the professor's home. As they walked down the road towards the professor's estate, Emiliana stayed close to Kat, constantly looking around.

"You're looking for him, aren't you?" Kat asked softly. "That man who slashed you?"

Emiliana said nothing, refusing to look her in the eye, until she suddenly felt Kat's hand in hers.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "This is my fault..."

"No, Katrielle. It's mine."

"But I..."

"You never asked for me to accompany you. That was my choice."

"I never wanted you to get hurt..."

"I know..." she squeezed Kat's hand gently. "But it is alright. Mamma... Emmy... gave me something for the pain. I feel okay."

"Emiliana..."

Emiliana's eyes widened as Kat wrapped her arm around her.

"Thank you for this."

They stopped walking and Kat looked into Emiliana's eyes.

"Katrielle..." she looked away, then her brow furrowed slightly.

"What?"

"Look over there. That man, in the red."

Kat looked over and saw the man begin to walk away.

"Do you think that's him?"

"Yes... I saw him before, in one of Mamma's old photographs..."

"With my dad?" Kat asked.

"Si. They were on an airship."

"That has to be him!" Kat exclaimed, removing her arm from around Emiliana and grabbing her hand. "Quickly, after him!"

"Katrielle!"

Emiliana suddenly lurched forwards as Kat dragged her in the man's direction.

"Wait! Sir! Mr. Raymond!

The man stopped and turned to face the pair as they ran towards him.

He frowned. "Yes?"

"I need to ask you some questions-"

"As do I, young lady. I have never met either of you before, yet you seem to know my name..."

"Emmy Altava told us," Kat said quickly. "Please, we need your help, can we talk?"

Raymond raised an eyebrow. "And why did Miss Altava think I could help you?"

"She knows that you keep tabs on Professor Layton," Kat said.

"Both of them," Emiliana added.

This time Raymond raised both eyebrows.

"We know that the professor has come here from the future," Emiliana continued, " and that you know where he is."

Raymond nodded. "Of course. You must be... Katrielle."

"Yes, I am," Kat replied.

"Of course. I have been expecting you for a while now," Raymond continued. "But I'm afraid the only way that I will be able to help you is if you help me to help you."

"Huh?" Emiliana looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Kat asked.

Raymond sighed heavily, his expression downcast.

"The master and Professor Layton disappeared several weeks ago."


	9. Chapter Eight - Recollections

Chapter Eight - Recollections

"How long has it been since the professor arrived here?" Emmy asked as she stirred her cup of coffee. They had met up in a coffee shop in the heart of London, as they had agreed to do earlier that morning before they split up, and now Raymond was under Emmy's interrogation.

"He arrived about three weeks ago," Raymond replied. "I was on my way to my lookout near Gressenheller, and I bumped into him. I recognized him straight away, and I'd say he remembered who I was, because he tried to leg it when I said hello."

"Strange..."

"He seemed very confused. He said he couldn't remember how he got here and he was asking for Katrielle."

Emmy glanced at Kat. Her face had fallen and she looked very upset.

"Then what happened?"

"I asked him where he was going, he said he had no idea. So I took him back to base, where Desmond was. Desmond seemed... surprised, although I think he was glad of the company, truth be told."

"What do you mean?" Emmy asked, suspicious.

"The master has been working on a project for some time now, and he spends most of his time shut up in his workshop. Not that he would have left anyway. He's a wanted man. It's nothing dangerous, don't worry," he added as Emmy frowned. "Since the Azran sanctuary, he needs to keep himself occupied. Without a purpose in life, he gets very bored. He likes to build vehicles and the like, although I have no idea how this particular project is going to work out. Professor Layton was helping him with it in the short while he was there, so it can't be anything destructive."

"He was helping him with a project..." Emmy said.

"Were they building a time machine?" Kat asked.

"I doubt it," Raymond smiled. "That'd be a wee bit too convenient, if you ask me."

"Did you see the project for yourself?" Vicky asked. "What did it look like?"

"A load of metal," Raymond replied. "Wiring, cables, knobs and dials... it's all still in his workshop. He ordered me not to touch any of it."

"And what did my dad do?" Kat asked.

Raymond frowned. "I remember him drawing on the blackboard... a big arch and lots of numbers..."

"Like a timeline?" Vicky suggested. "Look, what if it was a time machine they were building? And the professor was trying to triangulate the point in time he needed to travel to?"

Emmy frowned. "Triangulate?"

"Like Raymond said, the Professor was confused, and may have suffered short term memory loss as a result of the trauma inflicted on him by Hawkes in the fight-"

"So maybe he was trying to figure out how he got here?" Emmy suggested. "If he sustained a serious enough concussion, all memory of the incident and everything that happened in the days prior could be gone."

"Exactly!" Vicky smiled.

"But that does not mean they were building a time machine," Emiliana continued. "Descole started the project before the professor arrived here. Why would he want to build a time machine if not to get his brother home?"

"He had a wife who died," Emmy said quietly. "And a daughter."

"The master knows not to meddle with time," Raymond said. "He wouldn't risk the fate of the world again. He learned his lesson last time, the hard way."

Kat frowned, trying to process this. She asked herself over and over; where would he go? What would he be doing here, in this time? Not for the first time since her father's disappearance, she found herself at a loss. She didn't know where to look.

"I think we ought to look in Descole's workshop," Emiliana suggested. "It seems that is all we really have to go on for now."

"Tomorrow," Raymond nodded. "I have other business to attend to today, but if we meet here again at noon tomorrow, I would be glad to take you."

"Right," Emiliana nodded.

But Kat noticed something in Emiliana's gaze, a slight frown. It may have been nothing, but Kat suddenly got the impression that Emiliana didn't trust Raymond one bit.

00000000000000000000

"So if there's nothing in Descole's workshop, we're back to square one," Kat said, stirring her tea continuously.

"It appears so," Emiliana said calmly, sitting back a little on Emmy's sofa, wincing as she did so.

"Do you need more painkillers?" Emmy asked her.

Emiliana shook her head. "It's just when I move..."

"I'm sorry," Kat said miserably.

"Please, stop apologizing Katrielle. It wasn't your fault. I have told you this already."

"But..."

"Don't, Katrielle. Please, stop beating yourself up over this." She patted her hand softly.

Kat sighed agitatedly. "Then why does it feel like it is my fault?"

"You are being silly, Katrielle. You never forced me to come here, and you never slashed me with that knife, either. This isn't your fault, so stop blaming yourself for this." Emiliana took Kat's hand again.

Vicky poked her head around the door. "Dinner's nearly ready."

"Great, thank you," Kat smiled, just realizing how hungry she was. She turned to Emiliana as Emmy left the room. "Emiliana?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think we can trust Raymond?" she asked.

Emiliana's brow furrowed slightly. "I'm not sure yet. He is difficult to read."

"It's just earlier, you seemed... suspicious of him."

Emiliana frowned. "You picked up on that?" Her mouth quirked a little. "You are a better profiler than I thought , Katrielle."

"Why don't you trust Raymond?" Kat asked.

Emiliana looked out into the kitchen, to where Emmy was sitting. "We will talk about this later, when we are alone."

Kat nodded, getting the message. "Alright."

"Let's eat. I can hear your stomach growling already."

Kat smiled as she followed Emiliana out of the room.

000000000000000000

"This is your room."

Dusk had long since settled, and Kat and Emiliana were turning in for the night.

"Well, it's my room, but you two can stay here until you find a way back home." Emmy smiled tiredly.

"You should turn in yourself," Kat suggested as Emiliana bade Emmy goodnight and shut the door behind her.

"I can't. I have to wait for my friend the sofa-surfer to finish work so I can let him in." Emmy shrugged. "Anyway... try and get some sleep, you look like you could do with it."

"Goodnight," Kat smiled.

She turned the door handle and entered the room, greeted by the sight of Emiliana getting undressed. Kat blushed a little, this being the second time she had seen Emiliana in her bra that day, her gaze lingering on the bloodstained bandages which covered the knife wound on her left side. She turned her attention to the double bed in the center of the room, and the night dress that sat on the end of it, for her to use. Kat began to undress as Emiliana wandered around the room, looking at all the photographs that were on the walls and the beside table. She gingerly took one off the wall.

"Who is this little boy?" she asked Kat as she pulled off her dress. She handed it to her.

"That's Luke," Kat replied with a smile. "Did your mother ever tell you about him?"

"A little," Emiliana replied. "Not much. It was always about the Azran sanctuary, how she betrayed them." She sighed. "She always cried when she told me that story."

"Why?" Kat asked as she pulled the nightdress on over her head. "Luke always told me it wasn't her fault, that her uncle made her do it."

"She still feels guilty," Emiliana replied, sitting on the bed beside Kat. "She feels bad for leaving and never making it up to him."

Kat frowned. "Why did she leave?"

"Targent were after her. She told me that a man tried to attack her and kill her." Then Emiliana frowned. "But she is here, in London..."

"Maybe that didn't happen yet," Kat suggested.

Emiliana looked worried. Then she looked horrified.

"What is it?"

"What if they try to kill her now? She will not leave if we are here..."

"Then she has to leave as soon as we find my dad," Kat replied.

"We don't know how long that could take Katrielle." Emiliana looked frightened.

"Maybe we should tell her."

"She won't-"

"If she knows you're her daughter, she won't want to put you at risk, would she?"

Emiliana recoiled slightly. "Are you insane?" she hissed. "We must never do that! It could have serious repercussions and could erase my existence!"

"Then what?"

"I don't know," she shook her head.

"I'm sure she'll be alright, she can handle herself, just look at how she handled that man who stabbed you?"

Emiliana sighed. "I hope you are right..."

"Is that why she changed her name?" Kat asked. "You told me she changed her name."

"Yes... well, she went back to her real name. Leon Bronev changed it when he adopted her. He didn't like the name Zero. He said she was worth more than that."

"Zero..." Kat nodded. "That explains a lot. Why I could never find her, I mean. She was worried that they might try and track her down..."

"Si..."

"Is that why you don't trust Raymond?"

"... Not exactly."

"What do you mean?" Kat asked.

"I met Raymond a few times with my mother, in our time, yet when we met him today, he seemed... different. When he told us that your father and Descole were missing, he seemed indifferent to the fact. And he claimed to be keeping tabs on your father's younger self."

Kat nodded. "Why would he bother if he knew he was going to disappear without a trace in the future?" Then she paused, deep in thought.

"What is it, Katrielle?"

"You're right. We can't trust him."

"Why?"

"Flora told me... before... I don't think my father's younger self is actually in London right now."

"What? Why? Where is he?"

"He's in St. Mystere. Solving the mystery of the Golden Apple."

"Golden Apple...?" Emiliana shook her head. "How do you even know where he is?"

"Flora has this necklace, she said that Dad got it for her fifteenth birthday. Three weeks after she moved to London with him, from St. Mystere. Her birthday is in three weeks and two days from now. That means he left this morning..."

"Then why was Raymond watching his house?" Emiliana asked.

Kat smiled. "Exactly..."


	10. Chapter Nine - Suspicion and Confusion

Chapter Nine - Suspicion and Confusion

Normally, Emiliana would get up at sunrise, but due to her unusual sleeping arrangements, she was awake most of the night, only nodding off properly at about five a.m. The last thing she expected to find when she awoke at eight-thirty was Kat's arm around her waist.

She turned to face her, only to find that she still appeared to be in a deep sleep, completely unaware of what was happening in that moment, a slight frown on her face as she dreamed.

It was only in the last twenty-four hours that Emiliana had been able to come to terms with the fact that she actually liked her rival. Not that they were rivals anymore, it seemed. This time, Kat had actually approached her for help, and in seeing how serious she was about the case, Emiliana had decided to help her in any way she could. Emiliana's mind began to wander, thinking about everything that had happened in the last two days, all the times they held hands, Kat wrapping her arm around her and thanking her, full of genuine emotion…

Emiliana closed her eyes. Kat was her friend now, the only friend she had been able to make since she moved to London from Monteriggioni, since the terrible accident and the funeral… She shook her head slightly, trying to force the memories out of her mind. It had been four years now, four years of solitude. Only her mother cared enough to stay in contact, though she never came to visit Emiliana, as there were too many bad memories and people who would recognise her.

And if she really was stuck in this time, she would probably never see her again either.

Emiliana's thoughts were redirected as she felt Kat stir beside her, muttering. She moved closer to Emiliana, tightening her grip on her waist and resting her head on her shoulder.

Part of Emiliana wanted to move away, but a bigger part did not. She wasn't really sure why but, though she resented that she was stuck in this situation, the fact that Kat was there with her made her feel a little better. She smiled a little as she watched Kat sleep, feeling her breath on her neck, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed deeply. She looked very peaceful now, her frown was gone and she seemed more at ease. Emiliana couldn't help but think that she looked sweet… She gently wrapped her arms around Kat, returning the hug. Kat smiled, snuggling into her a little before settling into the embrace.

Emiliana felt something stir inside her as she realised her heart was hammering in her chest. It had been a long time since she had felt quite like this…

"I must be imagining things…" she thought. "This can't be right…"

Her eyes widened. "But… Katrielle… she's a… a girl…"

She felt Kat's nose brush against her neck.

"I don't like… not like that…"

She looked at Kat.

"Do I…?"

She suddenly became very aware of her position, Kat's arm on her waist, Kat's breath on her neck, her own arms wrapped around Kat…

Her thoughts wandered back to mere moments earlier, her unwillingness to move away from Kat. If this had happened with anyone else, she would have squirmed out from under them and ran out the door. She suddenly felt confused and anxious, and this anxiety only grew when she felt Kat stir again and saw her eyes start to open.

Emiliana closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. Although she was still unsure of what she was feeling in that moment, she wanted to know what Kat was thinking. Emiliana tried to hone in on her other senses, attempting to gather data on Kat. Being a profiler, it was her way.

She felt Kat's grip loosen as she moved a little away from Emiliana. Nothing happened for a few moments as the two just lay there, until Emiliana heard Kat sigh heavily and get out of bed. Only when she heard the door close did she open her eyes again. She sighed again.

"Why do I feel like this?"

X

Kat descended the stairs slowly, reveling in what had just happened. She had woken up in the arms of her rival, someone who, mere days earlier, she believed hated her. She knew that Emiliana was awake; she had felt her grip tightening around her - that was what had woken her up in the first place.

Kat had always thought Emiliana was pretty, especially after their trip aboard the Thametanic, but she never thought Emiliana would ever feel the same way about her. But now that she thought about it, every time she ever saw Emiliana outside working hours, she was alone. She never saw Emiliana with any friends, let alone with anyone who resembled a boyfriend. Maybe she liked women, as Kat did, so maybe Kat did stand a chance with Emiliana…

All she knew was that if Emiliana did like her, the only way she would find out is if they talked about it. But she was scared. What if she was wrong, what if, by approaching her, she accidentally caused a rift between them? Emiliana was the only one who kept her going in this time, and Kat knew that she had no hope of finding her father without Emiliana's help…

She sighed again as she went in the kitchen. She opened the door of the bread bin to grab a slice when she suddenly heard rustling.

Kat frowned slightly, peeking around the kitchen table slowly. A large, muscular man was sitting on the kitchen floor beside the ajar fridge door, surreptitiously eating a large leg of lamb. He seemed oblivious to Kat's staring as he munched quietly, clearly trying not to get caught. Kat smirked, and cleared her throat quietly, making the man jump.

"Are you Inspector Grosky?" Kat asked curiously as he tried to hide the leg of lamb behind his back.

Grosky sighed in relief. "Phew, I thought you were Emmy for a second there! And that's Detective Chief Inspector Grosky to you!" He ripped off another large chunk of meat with his teeth.

"I told you to stop clearing out the fridge every time you come into my house, Detective Chief Inspector Grosky," Emmy said crossly from the doorway making him jump again and choke. She smiled at Kat. "Did you sleep alright?"

Kat nodded. "I don't think Emiliana did, though."

Emmy grimaced and nodded. "I know, she's in more pain than she's letting on. Is she asleep now?"

"No," they heard her say from the top of the stairs.

"Go back to bed," Emmy called.

"No," she called before she shut the bathroom door on them.

"There's really no point arguing with her," Kat said as Emmy frowned. "She's stubborn, like you."

Emmy laughed. "Fair enough." She lowered her voice. "You'd better get dressed and have some breakfast. You'll need your energy if we're going to find your dad."

"I thought we were meeting Raymond at twelve?" Kat asked her.

'We are," Emmy replied. "But yesterday I noticed something odd. Raymond didn't really seem like… himself. We got to know each other pretty well on the Bostonius, and I'm sure he'd be more… well… upset if Descole disappeared without a trace or any explanation as to where he went."

Kat smiled. "That is exactly what Emiliana said last night."

Emmy raised an eyebrow. "So we have more than our stubborn disposition in common then?"

Kat laughed as Emiliana descended the stairs precariously.

"Are you alright? You look pale," Emmy asked her, looking concerned.

"Just a little pain," Emiliana replied, grimacing.

"Go back to my room, I'll change your dressing and you can take some more painkillers," Emmy said, approaching her gently and offering her arm.

Kat watched as Emiliana took Emmy's arm, an adoring smile on her face as the two ascended the stairs.

"I didn't know Emmy had a twin sister," Grosky remarked from behind Kat as the bedroom door snapped shut.

Kat smiled. "She doesn't."

"Oh? So she's just an Emmy look-a-like then?"

"Something like that."

X

"Take off the nightie and lie down, Emiliana."

Emmy watched her carefully as she obliged, carefully pulling the nightdress off over her head and gingerly lying face-down onto the bed. "How bad is the pain now?"

"Moderately painful," Emiliana replied. "A sharp pain."

"Okay. This will hurt a little." Emmy peeled off the blood soaked bandage as Emiliana let out a short gasp. She then examined the wound carefully.

"It is quite deep, though he missed the veins, thank goodness, and it's stopped bleeding. It still needs to scab over properly though, so I'll have to redress it now." She took some ointment out of the first-aid box she had grabbed from the bathroom an applied it carefully to the wound. "Kat tells me that you don't trust Raymond." She watched as Emiliana said nothing. "Do you know him? In the future, I mean?"

"I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you that," Emiliana said carefully.

"Well, that's up to you, isn't it?" Emmy said coyly. "Whatever happens happens, it's not like it affects you directly. After all, it is Kat's father who went missing. You parents have nothing to do with this."

Emiliana fell silent again, and this made Emmy suspicious. She redressed the wound carefully, trying not to hurt Emiliana.

"Do you know something about the professor's disappearance?"

"No," Emiliana said quickly, and this made Emmy even more suspicious.

"Are you working for Targent? Because I know they're after me-"

"No, I would never do that!" Emiliana sighed agitatedly and squeezed her eyes shut.

Emmy grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, forcing her to turn around on the bed and face her.

"What do you know about Targent?"

"Everything." Emiliana opened her eyes again, trying to regain her composure.

"Who told you about them?"

"You did."

Emmy stared at her for a moment.

"I know that Leon Bronev is Professor Layton's father. I know that you betrayed him in the Azran Sanctuary. And I know that by being here, you are in terrible danger."

They stared at each other again as Emmy loosened her grip on Emiliana.

"You should leave London."

"I intend to," Emmy said.

"Soon. And not just London. Leave this country. Leave the memories behind you and start again. Don't live the rest of your life in fear. Be happy."

Emmy stared at her. Her expression changed from suspicion to confusion. "Who are you really?" she asked.

"I can't tell you," Emiliana sighed.

"Why?"

"Because it may affect your decisions, in the future. And that could affect everything."

Emmy continued to stare at her as she sat up in the bed beside her. "Do I know your father now?" she asked.

Emiliana frowned. "I'm really not sure, to be honest." She frowned deeply. "Please, Emmy, no more questions, I beg you. I know once you start-"

"-I don't stop," Emmy finished.

Emiliana nodded. "Please, just trust me. I am on your side, not theirs. So save your interrogations for them, okay?"

Emmy smiled, to Emiliana's relief.

"One more question - don't worry," she smiled. "Were you named after me?"

Emiliana smiled widely and nodded. But her smile faded and her heart sank as she saw the expression on Emmy's face. She had seen that knowing look on her mother's face before.

She knew.


End file.
